Pencil



H. L. FISCHER AND F. .l. KRISTOFEK PENCIL- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30. 1911.

1,349,950, Patented Aug. '17, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD L. FISCHER AND FRANK J. KRISTOFEK, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

PENCIL.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 17, 1920.

' Application filed October 30, 1917. Serial No. 199,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Howrino L. FISCHER and FRANK J KRISTOFEK, citizens of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the .county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,

have'invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a pencil in which independent leads are held firmly in the pencil While in writing position'and can be ejected a step at a time as it is used or worn off, together with. means for releasing the lead to allow it to be easily pushed back into the pencil barrel. Our invention is particularly adapted to use a lead having a very small diameter and of a suitable length.

Our pencil is of simple construction havllilig means for ejecting the lead as it is worn o by a non-rotary reciprocating move ment of the cap or head of the pencil. The ejecting means and connecting elements are inclosed in a separate housing which is removable from the barrel of the pencil andwhich has a magazine for carrying extra leads. When it is desired the ejecting means and magazine can be quickly removed from the pencil barrel and after the ejecting means is set in backward position in the housing or inclosing portion, a new lead can be taken from the magazine and dropped into the pencil'barrel, while the barrel is held point downward, after which the ejecting mechanism and magazine can e again reinserted in position in the pencil and the cap-or head of the pencil will hold the same in position to eject the writing lead when it is desired.

When the cap or head of the pencil is depressed by a non-rotary longitudinal movement it will eject the marking lead a short distance at a time. Ifthe head of the pencil is held in extreme depressed position the ejecting mechanism is automatically released so that the writing lead can be pushed back into the pencil or the ejecting mechanism pushed backward in its inclosing housing. j V

The head or cap of the pencil is provided with means which allow it to be reciprocated back and forth and still prevent it from becoming disengaged from the penoil when it is reciprocated in a non-rotary longitudinal movement. The cap can be removed by depressing the same androtatng in. a left-hand direction. When the cap is attached to the pencil it is held in outer posltlon by a spring means which automatically resets the ejecting mechanism when I pressure on the head of the pencil has been released, and also holds the housing together with the ejecting mechanism in the pencil barrel under spring tension.

In the drawing forming part of this specification 1 Figure 1' is a longitudinal section of the pencil. Y

Fig. 2 illustrates the operating mechanism and the lead holding magazine removed from the pencil barrel.

. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2, a portion of which is shown in section as it would appear on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view' of a portion of the inner mechanism.

Fig. 5 illustrates the cap or head of the pencil.

Fig. 6 illustrates a plan view of the ejecting mechanism and lead holding magazine of an alternative construction.

Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6, having a portion thereof broken away.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 illustrates a side, view of the ejector or push rod. I

Fig. 10 illustrates the end of the pencil A which receives the cap or head. i

In the drawing A represents a pencil having a barrel 1 which is preferably made of thin-tubing and the forward end 2 of which is conical inshape, to simulate the forward endlof an ordinary sharpened pencil. A lead holding tube 3 is' fixed in the forward end the conical end 2 and the inner end 4 of the tube 3 has a larger diameter than the outer of the pencil barrel so that the portion 9 may telescope into the enlarged portion 7 when the head or cap 8 of the pencil is in position on the barrel 1; The portion 9 of I the pencil head is formed'with a groove 10 which extends from the inner edge of the head 8 and connects with a groove 12 which extends longitudinally and is formed in the portion 9. The grooves 10 andl2 are adapted to engage the detent 11 which is formed in the portion 7 and projects inwardly to engage the grooves to lock the cap or head 8 against accidental disengagement from the pencil barrel, the groove 12 allows the head to reciprocate longitudinally with a non-rotary movement, when the head is attached to the pencil barrel.

An ejecting means or mechanism B together with the lead holding magazine C for extra leads is adapted to be removably held in the pencil sheathing or casing 1. The ejecting mechanism B is composed of an ejector rod 14 which is secured to a tooth ratch 15 at 16 in any suitable manner and the ratch 15 has formed integral therewith a spring finger 17. It is preferred to have the ratch formed of spring material and to stamp it from a thin sheet of metal forming teeth 18 along the lower edge of the same, after which the spring finger 17 is bent to the shape illustrated in 9. The ratch is formed with a rear portion 19 without any teeth, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The ratch is slidably held in the tubular housing 20, with its upper edge engaging in the longitudinal track or groove 21 formed in the housing 20, and the spring finger 17 which lies directly below the teeth 18 bears against the bottom of the inner portion of the tube to hold the upper edge of the ratch in the groove 21 and engaging in the housing with sufiicient friction to retard the free longitudinal movement of the ejectorrod and ratch.

A tubular portion or pusher rod 22 of a smaller diameter than the'housing 20 and.

upwardly and bifurcated to forma notch 25 and projecting ends 26 and 27. The end 27 being formed with an enlarged engaging portion 28. The tubular portion or pusher rod 22, together with the pawl 24, are held in position in the tube 20 by means of a washer 29 and the turned-in edge 30 of the tube 20 which engages the enlarged portion 23 of the tube 22. The washer 29 is formed with a serrated upper portion 31 which engages in the groove 21 and is held in position against longitudinal movement by means of an annular transverse groove 32 formed in the tube 20. A coil spring 33 is positioned between the washer 29 and the end 23 and serves to normally hold the tube 22 together with the spring pawl 24: in backward position with the portion 23 engaging against the shoulder 30, but allowing the tube 22, together with the springpawl or finger 24, to be reciprocated by compressing the spring 33. When the ratch 15 and the pawl 2 1 are in position in the tube, the ends 26 and 27, of the bifurcated end of the pawl 24, will extend on either side of the teeth 18 and the notch 25 will engage the teeth 18 as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to form a ratchet for operating the ejector rod i l in one direction a step at a time when the portion or tube 22 is pressed inward, while the spring 33 returns the pawl to engaging position automatically when the pressure is released from the portion 22.

A detent 3 1 is formed in the tube 20 and is positioned to engage with the end 28 when the ejector rod has moved forward the distance of one of the teeth 18, thereby pressing the pawl out of engagement with the teeth 18, as is illustrated in the dotted outline in Fig. 3. when the pawl is in extreme forwardv position. Thus the detent 34 serves to release the pawl from the ratch and allows the ejector rod 14 to be pushed backward in the tube 20 when desired.

pencil A is held point down, so that the lead will slide freely into the tapered tube 3, the outer end 5 of the tube 3 being small enough in its inner diameter to prevent the lead sliding through the same. The tapered or conical portion 6 serves to freely guide the lead into the tube 3. The ejector rod 14 is pushed into backward position in' the housing 20 by holding the housing 20 between the thumb and middle finger andpressing the Portion 22 inward with the index finger so that the pawl 24 is released from the teeth 18 then pressing the ejector rod 14 backward. The ejecting mechanism is then inserted in the encil casing 1. The cap or head 8 is then slipped into the end 7 and locked in place by means of the detent 11 and the groove 12 pressing the forward edge of the tube 20 against the edge of the conical portion 6, which forms a stop for the same, and slightly compressing the spring 33 which holds the cap 8 in outer osition by the tension of the spring hen the cap 8 is attached to the shell 1 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10, the tube 22 is pushed inward against the spring 33 slightly and the detent 11 is drawn in the forward end of the longitudinal portion 12 of the groove 10, thus holding the ejecting mechanism B and the magazine C in position under the tension of the spring 33 in the barrel or'shell 1.

When the ejector mechanism is in place in the pencil, the ejector rod 14 projects a short distance into the end 4 of the tube 3 or just far enough to form an abutment for the lead 37 so that when the cap or head 8'is depressed, the ratchet in the ejecting mechanism B will push the ejector rod forward and 'push the lead 37 out of the end -5 of the tube 3 a short distance. 'The cap-8 is formed with a shoulder 39 which is ada ted to come in contact with the outer'edge o the portion 7 when the cap is depressed, to limit the forward movement of the same,

and thereby limiting the forward movement of the pawl 24.

When the pressure on the cap 8 is released, the spring 33 will automatically draw the pawl 24 back into engaging position to engage a new tooth on the ratch while the ratch 15 and ejector rod 14 will remain in pushed forward position due to the friction of the spring 17 in the tube 20 and the upper edge of the ratch which travels in the groove 21. As the point 40 of the lead 37 is worn off, the head or cap 8 may be depressed to push the ejector rod 14 forward a tooth or ste at a time and thereby ejecting the lead 3 out of the tube 3 a step at a time or a short distance each time the head 8 is depressed.

The cut-away portion 19 of the ratch- 15' against the end of a. marking-lead 37, the

pawl 24 is pushed forward so that it will enga e against the detent or shoulder 34 there y releasing the pawl from engagement with the teeth 18 and allowing the lead 37 to be pushed back into the tube 3 or allowing the rod .14 to be reset into backward position.

This construction gives a quick and easy releasing means so that whenever it is desired the cap 8 can be depressed releasing the pawl from the teeth and the lead can be pushed back into the'pencil' so as not to be broken off or wasted. The-forward end of the tube 20 isclosed by a washer 41 and the rod 14 passes freely through the opening 42 therein, thus the ratchet mechanism can be entirely inclosed, when it is desired, to prevent removal of the ratch or disengagement of the'ejector rod from the tube 20 also to prevent anything getting in the tube 20 to clog the ratchet'mechanism.

In Fig. 6 an alternative construction for releasing the pawl 24 from engagement with the teeth 18 is illustrated. 11 opening 43 is cut; in the tube 20 just above the portion 28 of the pawl 24 so that the finger nail or any other suitable means may be inserted through the opening 43 to depress the pawl tion it 1s necessary ;to remove the ejecting mechanism and magazine when it is desired to release the ejector rod so that it can be pushed backward.

The grooves 10 and 12 formed in the portion 9 of. the cap 8 allow the same to be easily and quickly attached or detached from the barrel 1 of the pencil A and it is obvious that the groove 10 can be of any suitable shape, it being essential however,

that the groove 12 extend longitudinally and parallelto the side of'the portion 9, to permit the longitudinal reciprocation of the cap 8 to eject or release the lead in the pencil and to prevent a rotary movement of the cap when it is being reciprocated, thus the groove 12 forms a slidable locking means for the cap 8. It is an essential feature that when the cap 8 is attached to the pencil barrel 1 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10, that the spring 33 be slightly compressed to firmly hold the cap in position and also hold the ejeoting mechanism and magazme against rattling in the pencil casing. In

this manner the ejecting mechanism and the lead magazine are held under spring tension in the pencil casing. I

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims:

1. In a pencil of the class described, comprising a barrel, a lead holding tube, and

ejector rod in'said pencil, a ratchet for ejecting said rod to eject lead in said tube a degree at a time, but to hold said lead against backward movement when writing, means for depressing the pawl of said ratchet to allow said lead to be pushed back into said pencil, means for inclosing said ratchet and a tubular pusher rod for operating said ratchet from the rear of said pencil.

2. In a pencil comprising, a barrel having a longitudinal lead holding tube axially fixed in the forward end of said barrel, a

tube removably held in said barrel, a head.

I i n for holding said tube in posltion, a ratch in said tube, .an ejecting rod fixedto said ratch, a. second tube slidably heldin one end of said first tube, a spring finger connected to said second tube, a stop secured in said first tube and a spring interposed between said stop and said second tube whereby when said second tube is depressed, said finger Wlll engage said ratch to push it forward a step at a time, together with the ejector rod so as to eject the marking lead in said lead holding tube.

3. In a pencil comprising a barrel, a lead holding tube axially fixed in'the forward end thereof, and means for ejecting the lead held in said tube a step at a time, said means comprising a tube, a ratch in said tube, an ejector rod fixed to said ratch, a pawl for engaging said ratch, a head connected to said pawl to push it in one direction a step at a time when said head is depressed and spring means for resetting said pawl and head in operatingposition.

4. In a pencil of the class described a barrel having a lead holding tube fixed in the forward end thereof, an ejector rod forming an abutment for the lead in said holding tube, a ratch fixed in said rod, a tube for inclosing and slidably holding said ratch, a spring linger formed on said ratch to frictionally engage saidratch inclosing tube, a member slidably secured in said ratch inclosing tube, a spring pawl for engaging the teeth of said ratch, having one end fixed to said slidable member, a stop fixed in said inclosing tube, a spring means interposed between said slidable member and said stop a for automatically setting said spring engaging pawl in a backward position when pressure is released from the end of said slidable member and means formed on said inclosing tube for depressing said pawl out of engagement with the teeth on said ratch when said slidable member is pressed into forward position in said tube.

5. In a pencil comprising, a barrel having a longitudinal lead holding tube axially fixed in the forward end thereof, a housing removable held in said barrel, lead ejecting means in said housing, said ejecting means comprising, a ratch slid-ably held in said housing, a head, a spring pawl adapted to be operated by depressing said head and means formed in said removable housing for depressing said spring pawl out of engagement with the teeth of said ratch when the head of said pencil is depressed, to allow said ejecting means or the lead in writing position in said pencil to be pushed backward in said pencil barrel.

6. In a pencil of the class described a barrel having a lead holding tube fixed therein, a lead ejecting means removably held in the barrel of said pencil, said ejecting means comprising a ratchet, a housing for inclosing said ratchet, means in said housing for engaging the pawl of said ratchet to disengage it from the teeth of said matically resetting said spring pawl in backward position in said housing to engage the teeth of said ratchet, whereby the ejecting mechanism can be pushed forward in said 'housing a step at a time or released so as to be pushed backward when it is in or out of said pencil barrel.

7. In a encil of the class described a barrel having a lead holding tube fixed in its forward end, ejecting means removably held in said pencil, a removable cap or head for operating said e'ecting means, and means formed in said cap or locking said cap to the end of said barrel so that it can be reciprocated with a non-rotary longitudinal movement, or disengaged from said pencil barrel when depressed and rotated.

8. A pencil comprising, a barrel havingmoved and a cap closing the end of said pusher rod, said ejecting m n b i erated from the rear of the said pencil when in said barrel by a non-rotary movement.

9. In a pencil of the class described a barrel having a lead holding tube fixed in its forward end, ejecting means, a housing for means in said housing for holding said cap under spring tension n outer position and means formed on said cap and pencil barrel for slidably holding said cap to said pencil barrel, whereby said cap can be reciprocated with a nonrotary longitudinalmovement to operate said ejecting means or be disengaged from said barrel to remove said ejecting means by depressing and rotating said cap.

10. In a pencil of the class described a barrel having a lead holding tube fixed in its forward end, ejecting means, a removable housing for inclosing said ejecting means, 'a removable cap or head for holding said housing in said pencil barrel and resilient means in said housing for holding said housing under spring tension in said pencil barrel means for slidably locking said ea or head to said barrel when said cap is slidably locked-to said pencil barrel, whereby said ejecting means and housing are held in said pencil barrel under spring tension.

11. In a pencil of the class described, a barrel having a lead holding means in its forward end, a conical means having a smooth conical inner surface connecting said lead holding means with the inner circumference of the barrel of said pencil, a removable cap slidably secured to the rear end of said barrel, the barrel of said pencil having a smooth inner surface and an ejectin means'adapted to be removably held in sai smooth inner surface of said pencil barrel by said cap,'whereby said ejecting means can be removed by removing said cap and a new lead dropped into said barrel casing, being freely guided into said lead holding means by said smooth inner barrel surface and said conical-means.

12. In a pencil of the class described having a barrel a reciprocable cap or head, an ejecting means which is adapted to eject a lead a degree at ,a time when said head is reciprocated and means for holding said ejecting means collectively removable 1n said barrel, whereby said ejecting means can be set or operated when removed from said barrel.

13. In a pencil of the class described having a barrel a lead ejecting means comprising a ratchet, an injector, spring means for setting the pawl of said ratchet in one direction, a hollow pusher rod connected to said ratchet and means for holding said ejecting means with its connecting parts collectively in, or out of said barrel.

14. In a pencil of the class described having a barrel a lead ejecting means which is adapted to eject a lead a degree at a time and means for collectively holding said ejecting means with its operating parts in operative position in, or out of, said barrel.

15. In a pencil of the class describedhaving a barrel a hollow ejector rod, ejecting means connected to said rod, and means for holding said rod and ejecting means collectively removable from said barrel, whereby said ejecting means can be operated when removedfrom said barrel by reciprocating said rod.

16. In a pencil of the class described having a barrel, a lead ejecting means which is adapted to eject a lead a degree at a time, removable means for collectively holding said ejecting means, with its operating parts in operative position in, or out of, said barrel, and spring means in'said holding means for holding said ejecting and holding means 1n said barrel under spring tension for the purposes specified.

17 In a pencil of the class described having a barrel, an ejecting means, means for holding said ejecting means collectlvely removable from said pencil barrel and means in said holding means for releasing said ejecting means when said ejecting means 1s moved into forward position, when said ejecting means with its connecting parts is in, or out of said barrel.

18. In a pencil of the class described having a barrel, an ejecting means WhlCll is adapted to eject a stick of lead a degree at a time, a hollow pusher rod connected to said ejecting means, a ca for closing said pusher rod, and a remova le closure which is adapted to hold said ejecting means in said pencil barrel and to hold said pusher 

